Crossovers: Fighting for Bliss
by Heather D. Brown
Summary: Featuring my OCs from the Marioverse, this story is the advancement of love through times of turmoil.
1. Prologue

Prologue

It is said that the universe is held together and held in balance not only by the power of the Stars and the honorable Star Spirits but also by the hidden, secret powers of seven human beings known as the Star Essences. They are assisted by three lesser beings known as Star Virtues, and together these ten beings keep the world in which they live from falling into the clutches of turmoil, disaster, and ultimately, universal death itself.

By legend, the three Star Virtues are known to be titled History, Heart, and Spirit. The Virtue of History is a Pure Virtue, as History cannot be altered or undone when it occurs. It is believed that the bearer of the Crystalline Stopwatch, a young teenager named Daniel, wields this Virtue in his mind. Daniel's powers of Time are also pure, making him the universe's third truly pure individual. The Virtue of Heart can be a Pure or Unpure Virtue based upon its holder. Currently the Virtue of Heart resides in the heart of a Pure young man named Phil. With the Virtue of Heart, its holder refuses to give up on anything he truly believes in, and will fight to the death for that belief—his loyalty is unyielding. With his half of the Amethyst Medallion, giving him paranormal, otherworldly powers, he is the sole being who can travel between Limbo and Reality—life and death—without having to be deceased. The Virtue of Spirit can also be Pure or Unpure, and is the strongest of the Virtues. The Virtue of Spirit is given to a being with strong ties to otherworldly ability, giving this person the ability to sense trouble in both planes of life and death. It is currently bestowed upon the soul of a teenager named Jim, whose powers are that of the spiritual plane. As such, his powers are mysteriously Pure in nature.

The legendary Star Essences are rumored to be Nobility, Innocence, Nurturing, Vision, Beauty, Corruption, and Chaos. These seven forces are what keeps the universe from ultimately falling into a state of eternal disrepair, and were so strong that the seven Star Spirits could not handle their powers alone. As such, they sent these seven Essences into children deserving of their power—those that would be able to easily control these strengths—to assist them in keeping the universe alive. It is required that these Essences remain Pure and true, or else the possibility that evil could warp the world will always be present. Despite this, there is one Unpure Essence—the final Essence of Chaos.

Chaos is rumored to be bestowed on a young woman named Luca. She is the other half of the Amethyst Medallion and her heart is twisted with confliction and immorality. She always wants to do the right thing… but she will often go to incorrect, immoral—and sometimes even illegal—methods to achieve her goals. It is rumored that she is a conflicted soul and could easily be swayed to the forces of evil... because of her Unpure nature, the forces of evil are constantly on the attack, trying to manipulate her heart and convince her to join their forces. If not for the Virtue of Heart belonging to that of her lover and Twin Bond partner, Phil, it is believed that the world would've fallen into turmoil long ago…


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

The sunlight suddenly grew strong and bright, causing a pair of gentle blue eyes to open up and squint. They looked up at the sky, which also was a beautiful shade of blue, and then seemed to light up pleasantly. The owner of these gentle eyes was a young man, about twenty-one years of age, who took a moment to give his body a waking stretch. He had been sprawled out on a hilltop catching a nap in the afternoon sunshine, the springtime warmth enveloping him like a motherly embrace. But now it was time to wake up, the sunlight seemed to instruct him, and he sat up and looked from his perch down to the small town below. It was a very small town indeed—had only four houses, one of which he called his residence. His eyes looked down to the house he called his home and he smiled as he could see the other inhabitants of the house out in the yard going about their daily routines. He loved his housemates—it was a lovely woman and her many children, both adopted and biological—and considered them to be family almost.

"Phil! Phil, are you up here?" A young boy's voice suddenly broke the afternoon silence.

Phil turned around towards the sound of the voice, smiling widely when he saw the owner of the voice. It was a nine-year-old child with dark hair and deep green eyes. "Right here, Aiden," he replied.

Aiden slowed his sprint to a comfortable walk, and approached the young man. "We've been wondering where you were." He sat down next to Phil and smiled happily at him. "You've been gone most of the day."

"Has it really been that long?" Phil asked while running a hand through his messy blonde hair. "What time is it?"

"Almost four," the little boy replied. "We were starting to get worried… 'cause you left by yourself… and there have been a lot of small attacks on us lately…"

"I'm sorry," the older male apologized, rising to his feet. He stood well over six feet tall. "Come on. Let's get back before they start worrying about you too. After all, you're the baby of the bunch."

Aiden nodded and got up. "Can I ride on your shoulders again?"

Phil smiled pleasantly. "Sure. But you have to promise that you won't tell Autumn this time, or else I'll have to give her a lift as well."

"I promise," the little boy answered with a giggle.

"Up you go, then," the twenty-one-year-old picked up the child and hoisted him onto his shoulders. When he was sure that Aiden wouldn't fall, he began his descent back into the town.

When they arrived back at the house, Phil carefully put Aiden down and looked around the yard. "Hm," he thought aloud. "Usually she's around here somewhere… arguing with Daniel or…" He walked into the house, looking towards the television. On the floor in front of it was a video game console—it was currently unattended to.

"Who are you looking for, honey?" A woman's voice suddenly interjected. Phil looked up from the floor to see the mother of the household smiling warmly at him. She was thirty-four years old but could easily pass for much younger.

"Hi Danielle," he said with a pleasant smile. "I'm looking for Luca. She wasn't in the front yard and I see she's not playing games. Have you seen her?"

Danielle smiled just as pleasantly as she wiped the dish in her hand with a towel. "I believe she said she was heading to the racetracks with Jim and Daniel. I think she wanted to practice some more on the motorbike."

Phil winced. He _hated_ the idea of his girlfriend riding something as dangerous as a motorbike—what if she crashed? She'd hardly have any sort of protection from her body and the asphalt of the racetrack. "Thanks," he replied, pivoting on his heel and heading towards the neighboring town.

"Oh," a young female's voice introduced itself into his hearing. "I sense a panic attack just waiting to happen."

"I oughta kill you, Jessie," he replied to the voice.

Jessie smirked. She was an eighteen-year-old tomboy with strong psychic powers that read him like a book every single time they made contact. She rose to her feet, standing just inches shorter than he, brushing back her reddish brown hair and laughing at him through aquamarine eyes. "For what? She's twenty-two, Phil, I can't control her."

"Stop reading me," he muttered. She was his best friend, it was true, but sometimes her ability to read his thoughts drove him insane. "I gotta get to the track before she wipes out or something."

"I'll tag along… I wanna watch Jim anyway." She invited herself along—she was a very dominant personality and when she said something, it usually went her way no matter how anyone else felt.

"Fine," Phil sighed. "Just don't hold me back."

Jessie ran on ahead. "How about _you_ don't hold _me_ back?" She verbally prodded at him.

The two ran down the road towards the capital city of Toad Town.

* * *

><p>The Toad Town Race Course was bustling with activity and roaring with the sound of racing engines and minor explosions. Phil couldn't help but scratch at his left arm, feeling the addicted twitch of a man wanting to hit the tracks himself. He had come to find that, with a little bit of practice, he was a gifted kart driver. He and Jim spent lots of their spare time unwinding here, chasing each other for first place and blasting one another with items. It was one of few things that Phil and Luca did together, too—they often teamed up in Double Dash races in their vehicle, the Amethyst Blaze. Luca was a very accurate thrower and made a great backseat passenger to Phil's driving prowess, and the team was a crowd favorite. But when they rode solo, Luca preferred to ride the Jade Speedster, which was a super-fast motorbike… something that Phil absolutely abhorred. He was always terrified that she would crash and injure herself and would hardly ever manage to watch her complete one race on the Speedster without covering his face at least once.<p>

"I don't see her," he said after a quick scan of the entire track he could see.

Jessie pointed towards a large jump nearby. "She's about to trickster it over that jump."

"Jade Speedster?" Phil asked with a shiver.

"Jade Speedster."

Phil ran towards the barricade that kept spectators off the tracks, gripping it so tightly his knuckles lost all color. He leaned forward slightly, his head and chest hovering over the hot asphalt as he stood on his toes, fearfully watching as his girlfriend—and that damned motorbike—hit the ramp at full speed. His eyes grew large and he held his breath. Despite his own skill at handling vehicles, he _never_ attempted that particular jump… it was called the Death Leap for a reason.

The Jade Speedster flew rapidly into the air, and began a series of back flips. Luca was known around the track as a show-off—someone who would pull a trick at every possible instance. But she was also known for her propensity to drop her bike... this was what worried Phil the most. The motorbike flipped once… twice… thrice… and the wheels hit the ground. The front tire began to spin out, and the Jade Speedster lost control. Phil yelped, unbeknownst to himself aloud, and covered his eyes. He flinched as he heard the sound of metal hitting the rubber barricade, and then there was silence. He jumped over the barricade he was holding ad sprinted across the track to get to his girlfriend. She was getting up, dusting herself off. She appeared to be unharmed.

"What was that?" Phil declared as he ran over to her. "There's a reason they call that—"

"I know what it's called," Luca cut him off. "And I almost nailed it. And I will on the next try." She ran a hand through her messy blood red hair.

"Absolutely not!" Phil cried out. "You are _not_ endangering yourself on the Death Leap!"

Luca's dark green eyes narrowed into fiery slits. "And who are _you_ to tell me what I can and can't do?"

"I'm your boyfriend," he snapped back. "A boyfriend who'd be devastated if his girlfriend died while doing something stupid."

"Have a little faith in me, Phil!" She retorted angrily. Even though she was a foot beneath him in height, he easily intimidated her.

He began pacing about, the frustration in him rising. "I didn't like it when you decided to try out a motorbike… I told you that you'd not be able to handle it, and you're proving it! How many times in the last week have you wiped out on that… that… _thing_?"

"I don't complain when you and Jim are out there hurling Bob-ombs at one another," she growled. "If we're going to ban things that are dangerous, why not—"

"Because those Bob-ombs are blanks, Luca!" Phil shouted. "Blanks! They simply explode and spin you out! Unlike taking Death Leap at full speed like you think you have the skill!"

"So you're saying I don't have any skill?" Luca picked the Jade Speedster up off the ground. "Is that what this is?"

"No!" He said, slapping a hand to his forehead. "I'm just saying you aren't ready for professional stunts. Now go put that deathtrap away and let's go home before the sun goes down?"

Luca got back on the motorbike. "Pass."

"Excuse me?" Phil raised an eyebrow.

"I said I'll pass," Luca repeated. "If I'm not ready for professional stunts, I obviously need more practice."

Phil was about to open his mouth again to respond when something gently tapped his foot. He looked down in time to spy a Bob-omb flashing rapidly between himself and Luca. Before he had time to respond, it exploded—this was no blank. Both of them flew through the air with wicked speed. Phil crashed against the rubber barricade and slid down it into a sitting position, nearly unconscious from the impact. Luca bounced off the asphalt three times and skidded across it, coming to rest against the barricade on the other side.

"I hate to interrupt your pathetic squabbling," a deep, ominous, masculine voice interjected suddenly, "but I do believe I've heard enough."

Luca weakly lifted her head up towards the sound of the voice. There, in his Klown Kopter, was the evil Bowser, King of the Koopas. He looked down at her with a vicious smirk on his face.

"Hello, girl," he turned in her direction. "With your partner there lying nearly unconscious and you having just had a nasty fall on your bike, I'm sure you're pretty tuckered out. How about you just make it easy on me and give in without a fight? I need the Chaos Essence. Give it to me and I'll spare you."

Luca looked to Phil, whose head was lulling back and forth as he struggled to stay awake. "I don't need him to fight my battles for me, and I'm certainly not giving you the Chaos Essence. Not while I'm still alive and able."

Bowser heaved a false sigh. "Oh, Lucafira, you stubborn little girl." He pulled out his scepter and charged a ball of dark magic at her. "Don't you know that you should learn not to be so rude?"

She grabbed the sword at her side and reflected the beam off it. "Don't you know that as long as you're fighting for evil, you're gonna lose to me?" She retorted, managing a cocky smirk.

"Think about it, Luca," Bowser changed his tactic. "If you hand over the Chaos Essence, I'll give you control of your own region in my new empire. Think about it—what good is always fighting for the good side doing for _you_?"

"Lu… Luca…" Phil murmured softly, rising unsteadily to his feet. "Don't… Don't fall for his schemes… It's a trap and you know it…"

Luca turned back towards Bowser. Unfortunately, she was the Unpure Essence—her heart was good but her soul was terribly corrupt. Bowser knew that she could be swayed if he used the right words… the only person that seemed to keep her from joining his forces was that damned boyfriend of hers.

"Ignore him," Bowser instructed. "What does he know? He's just a coward who hides behind you every time there's a fight."

"Leave him alone," Luca growled. "This isn't his fight and you know it. Don't drag him into this."

"Imagine if you were on my side, Luca… we would be equals. I would never use you as a shield when we went into battle together. I would always be at your side… perhaps I would even protect you when you needed it…"

Phil stumbled backwards and collided with the barricade again. He could see the look of confliction rapidly rising in his girlfriend's eyes. He shakily reached for his own sword, yelling at himself to get his mind clear so he could sway her back.

"We would never fight, Luca," Bowser continued, a smile growing on his wicked lips. "Almost every time we've met as of late, you have been bickering with that boy of yours. Get rid of him, Luca, and join me. Together we will dominate this world and be treated the way we both deserve… like royalty…"

"Luca!" Phil cried. "Don't give into him! Please! You know what it would do if you gave him your Essence!"

"Ignore him!" Bowser hissed.

"Shut up!" Phil shouted back.

"Enough of you!" Bowser growled, launching a ball of dark magic at the young man. The orb collided with its intended target, and he collapsed onto the ground.

"No," Luca murmured beneath her breath. "Enough of _you_!" She levitated off the ground and fired a chaotic mass of black energy at Bowser. "I told you to leave him alone… but like a fool, you persisted…"

The blast connected, and Bowser was knocked back several feet. However, he was not seriously affected. "Hmph." He said after a moment. "Fine. But believe you me, girl," he said as his Kopter began flying high into the air, "I _will_ keep coming back until I have that Essence! Count on it!" His laughter echoed in the sky as he vanished from sight.

Luca went over to Phil and helped him up. She channeled some of her own energy into him to recover his lost health. "Luca," he said, "I… I'm sorry."

She turned away from him and her hands came away from his arm. He could feel ice growing between himself and her. Something felt horribly wrong between them—as if a huge barrier had just erupted out of the ground and prevented him from being able to reach her. She began walking away without a word and picked up her motorbike again. He felt as if someone had just punched him hard in the chest, but no words had been spoken. So he broke the silence.

"Luca… where are…"

"He wasn't completely wrong," she said after a moment. "You _do_ hide behind me a lot. You're going to have to learn how to stand up for yourself one of these days… I won't be around forever. In fact…"

"Luca, no." Phil sprinted forward and reached his hand out to put it on her shoulder. She flinched beneath his touch and swatted his hand away. "Luca, please."

She finished her statement. "I'm not going to be around any longer."

"But…"

She turned around slowly to look at him. Her green eyes seem extinguished and strangely calm, but he could feel icy distance in her stare. "I'm tired of fighting with you, day in and day out. I'm tired of coming to your rescue all the time. You've got to learn to stand up on your own… and you can't learn that if I'm always here. So goodbye, Phil."

His chest drew tight with the feeling of impending heartbreak, and he shook his head wildly. "No. No… no… you can't… we've been through so much…" He watched as she wordlessly got on her motorbike and sped away from him. Involuntarily his legs began moving forward and he was chasing after her. His arm reached out as if he could catch her with his arm at full extension, but she simply hit the accelerator. He slowly stopped running after her, his sprint turning into a jog that turned into a depressed walk. And then he was still. "Luca, no…"

Jessie ran over, her aqua eyes glistening with concern. "What just happened out here?"

"You should know," he murmured softly, voice faltering. "You can read my mind."

She grabbed her best friend into an embrace, but he did not return it. His body was tight and tense, and he stood completely motionless. He lifted his head up ever slightly and stared towards the distance that his lover had just sped across. Jessie spotted the tears forming. "Let it out," she cooed gently. "Let it all out."

He closed his eyes tightly and a few watery drops spilled over. He then shook his head and pushed her away. "I'm fine," he insisted, knowing good and well Jessie could read his lie. "And I don't have anything to 'let out.'" He began walking away from her. "I have somewhere to be."

She paused to read his thoughts. He was heading for the hilltop he claimed to be his thinking place—his favorite, but private, hangout. She watched him walk away and decided to leave him alone for the time being.

"Jessie, what's wrong?" Another male voice came from behind her. She turned to see her boyfriend, Jim, standing behind her. She turned around and threw herself at him.

"Luca's gone," she cried. "She just left Phil and sped off on her motorbike. She's gone, Jim."

Jim's dark brown eyes widened. "Stars above," he breathed quietly. "Where's Phil? Is he okay?"

"He's left for his private retreat," she answered. "And I don't think he's going to be much help right now… he's very torn up."

"As long as he's going to be safe for now, we can always come back for him." Jim explained, his voice procuring a stern, worried tone. "But right now our main concern is finding Luca and bringing her back. Being she's Unpure, Bowser will no doubt be looking for her with much more zest if he finds out she's out there alone. And if she lets those conflictions convert her…"

Jessie nodded. "Let's get started searching. We can ask Daniel and Jared to help us."

Jim nodded as well, and the couple ran as fast as they could towards Star Town.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Luca rode the Jade Speedster with reckless abandon, angry and wounded all at once. It was a feeling she was unused to—she usually had everything in her life under control. Her eyes stung with the burning heat of impending tears that she was fighting viciously against. They blurred her normally crystal clear vision, and she had to dodge obstacles at the absolute last second. Between blinks and sniffles, she would glance down at her left hand where a beautiful white gold ring resided on one of her petite fingers. She uttered a strangled sob and hit the accelerator harder, pushing the green motorbike beyond its limits.

_No turning back, Lucafira_, she told herself. _You made this bed, now you have to lie in it. This is for the best, you'll see_…

She had been with Phil for so long, though, that she couldn't remember life without him. He had taught her so much about love—she had known nothing about being concerned and caring for another human being—and she had just thrown that all away. But she was so… _tired_. Every day was another battle between the two of them, and she found herself beginning to resent his cowardly behaviors when they were out in the field. When she had first met him, he seemed so confident and brave… fearless almost. But as time drew on, he began to use her more as a shield to hide himself from his enemies… and even the world. And she couldn't be a shield any longer. But could she be alone again?

An explosion suddenly rocked her back into reality. She quickly wiped away the tears in her eyes and looked over her right shoulder. Behind her were Bowser and two of his sons, Ludwig and Roy, each one driving his own airborne vehicle. Ludwig cackled his maniacal cackle and tossed his magic wand forward, launching another blast of dark magic at the Jade Speedster's back tire. Luca swerved the motorbike hard to the right and jammed the accelerator, but it was already at its max.

"Youse can't run from us forever, Luca!" Roy taunted from behind her, his voice echoing in the darkness around her. "Give up and give King Dad the Chaos Essence… don't make us get rough with youse!"

She narrowed her eyes and popped a wheelie, giving her some added speed. Another explosion rocked the earth beneath her back tire, and she lost control. The motorbike threw her into the air and she crashed into—and through—a tree. She tumbled along the ground and slid to a stop some ten yards from the crash site. She weakly lifted her head as Bowser and his two sons jumped down to the ground in front of her.

"Didn't I tell you I was going to keep coming back for your Essence?" Bowser chuckled in a deep, rumbling voice. "But this time I brought some… let's call them 'insurance,' shall we?"

"Pathetic," she spat while staggering to her feet. Her hair was extremely mussed, her blood-red ponytail nearly coming completely undone. She wiped away some blood that was on her cheek and stood as tall as she could. "You had to resort to your kids to come after me… and I'm alone." She, too, managed a cocky laugh. "But don't think I'm going to give into you that easily. When have I ever?"

"Three on one is hardly an even match," Ludwig interjected into the conversation, his dark eyes glistening wildly. He licked his fangs maliciously. "Especially when that one is a weak little girl…"

"Yeah," Roy agreed. "Now be a good girl and hand over the Essence, and maybe we won't hafta rough ya up so bad."

"Without Jim or Daniel to back you up," Bowser said with an arrogant smirk, "you're sure to fall. And we wouldn't want you to worry your precious boyfriend by having you captured, now would we?"

"I won't be captured," she responded, becoming airborne as her powers took charge. "Count on it!"

Three sets of dark magic flew at her at once, and she managed to evade. She thought about using her Twin Bond to contact Phil telepathically and request help… but she immediately tossed that thought aside. What good would he do for her if he hid behind her again? Then again, he could call Jim and Daniel…

Another blast knocked her back into reality again. This one made contact, and she spiraled down to the ground below. The second struck her just before she hit the dirt, launching her towards another tree. Right before she made contact with the tree, the third beam of dark energy engulfed her in a blast of crimson lightning. She cried out in distress and pain, falling to the ground. She tried immediately to get up but found she had become paralyzed by the electric shock. What she thought was violent writhing was nothing more than pathetic twitching.

It was then that a voice hit her mind: _Luca? Where are you? I get the feeling you're in trouble_…

She was about to respond to her former lover's voice when Bowser grabbed her by the nape of her neck and picked her up. He brought her to eye level with himself and smirked viciously into her eyes.

"Gotcha now… girl." He turned to his sons and held her out. "Boys, today belongs to the Koopa Klan! After long, long last… we have captured the Chaos Essence!"

* * *

><p>Phil opened his eyes and gasped hard—was what he just saw in his mind a horrible nightmare? He tried to stop shivering and sat upright, holding the temples of his head in his hands. Even if it <em>was<em> a nightmare, he was "gifted" with Dream Sight—if he dreamt it, then it had or would come true. He looked around. The air was cool with a slight chilly nip, and strangely still. The sky was crystal clear… but something looked wrong with the stars. Their normally twinkling light had faded to a strangely dim flicker. And he felt it in his chest, heart, and stomach… something was dangerously wrong.

"Luca, where are you…" he said aloud to himself. He wished that with the next blink of his eyes, she would appear at his side. Or that her voice would come from behind him, and he'd turn around to see her walking up the hill to reconcile with him. "You're in danger; I can feel it in my heart…"

_Help me_, a woman's voice suddenly penetrated into the depths of his mind. He closed his eyes and could see her—a short of stature redheaded young woman. Her face was covered by matted locks of hair, but he knew it was her. She was unconscious and badly hurt. How could she be reaching out to him with such little strength?

_What's happened to you_, he asked of her. _Where are you? I'll be right there to get you_…

"That's what you think," an ominous, masculine voice came from behind him.

"Who's there?" Phil demanded, reaching instinctively for the sword at his side.

A Magikoopa on a broom flew overhead, giggling insidiously… mockingly. "My name is Kamek! Hear me, Crossover Philip! I come as a messenger of the great King Bowser—future dictator of the entire planet!"

"Entire planet…? What are you on about?" Phil demanded.

"Hee hee hee!" Kamek laughed wildly, as if someone were tickling him to death. "It pleases me to announce that the Chaos Essence is finally in King Bowser's possession!"

"Luca…" Phil gasped. _I knew it_, he thought dismally to himself. _I shouldn't have let her go alone… Because of me, she's been caught_…

"We are harnessing the Essence's true power even now! It won't be long before the world is overwhelmed with Chaos!" Kamek began flying away. "And we dare _you_ to do something—anything—about it! You're too late this time, boy! The girl… and her Essence… are ours!" His voice echoed into the night.

Phil stared into the nighttime sky. No wonder the stars seemed so dim and the air felt so still… there was a crisis brewing, and the world was trying to let him know. He felt his body began to quake violently, and he nearly lost his footing due to his own intense emotions. He began running for all he was worth towards Star Town… towards his newfound family…

Towards anyone who could help…

* * *

><p>He arrived at the largest house in Star Town just ten minutes from his private retreat—a personal record for him that he was currently uninterested in. He burst through the front door, startling Aiden and the boy's older brother, who were watching television in the living room.<p>

"Phil," Aiden said with concern, "why are you so pale? You look like you've seen a flock of Boos…"

Phil ignored the little boy and stormed into the kitchen, where Danielle was preparing dinner. "Danielle!" He cried out.

"What is it, honey? You look sick," Danielle turned to him, looking worried.

"It's Luca… Bowser… he…"

Even though his sentences were fragmented, Danielle understood perfectly. "The Chaos Essence is in Bowser's possession?"

Unable to answer in words, Phil nodded, looking panicked. His blue eyes were wild with fright.

"I'll go alert my mother at the castle. You find Jim and Daniel and inform them of what's going on. They should be nearby." Danielle quickly ran out of the house to alert her mother—the revered Princess Peach Toadstool—of the impending crisis.

Phil simply stood there, his head swirling with a multitude of thoughts that each demanded his immediate and complete attention. Luca's safety… what she had said to him the last time he saw her… why didn't he chase her down? Why did he let her go alone?

"Dude, what's going on?" A teenager's voice shattered Phil's concentration. He turned around to see Daniel standing there, hands on his hips. "Jim and I just saw Mama run out of here like the place is about to go up in flames… said to talk to you."

"Luca was kidnapped by Bowser," Phil explained as best he could, but his throat felt like it was closing up on him. "I let her go off alone, and he managed to capture her… He's got the Chaos Essence…"

Jim and Daniel both declared in brotherly unison, "You're kidding me?"

Phil gravely shook his head. "I wish I could say I was, but this is no joke…"

"We need to get to Shooting Star Summit," Daniel finally said after a moment, ever the leader. "We can summon the Star Spirits to tell us more… surely they know more…"

Phil quivered. "What are we going to do if we can't save her in time?"

Jim ran a shaking hand through his light red hair and stared the older male in the eye. "Pray to the Stars that we can survive Chaos' reign."


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Green eyes opened slowly, assaulted by a blinding white light. They squinted and then closed tightly beneath the sun-like brightness. She turned her head to the side, a few strands of loose red hair falling into her face, tickling her nose. She went to scratch her face with her left hand—but her arm was fastened down tight by something cold and metallic. She attempted to move her right arm and received the same results. Her legs, too, were immovable. She opened her eyes again and looked down her body—she was locked down to her makeshift bed by metal plates and chains.

"I've taken away your power container," a menacing voice growled from behind her. "So don't even bother trying to escape."

"Who are you? Where am I?" She demanded quickly, struggling uselessly against her restraints.

"My middle child, my son Iggy," Bowser announced as he walked into the room.

Iggy turned the light away from her, allowing her to finally be able to see. He was a rather frail but maniacal-looking Koopa with wild rainbow hair and extremely thick glasses. "I do a lot of the research for my father, you see," he explained in a soft, nearly timid voice. "And I'm currently researching you. Well… more, the Chaos Essence within you."

"Besides Ludwig, Iggy is my smartest child," Bowser beamed with pride, if only for a second. "Now then, son, what have you discovered about the Essence so far?"

"It seems as though the Essence is locked away within the deepest parts of her heart," Iggy elaborated. "It's rather odd, being that she's the Unpure Essence. It'll take quite a bit of work to get it out of her… there's a chance that she doesn't survive the extraction."

Bowser's dark eyes lit up like a child receiving what he wanted for his birthday. "Is that so? Excellent! What do we have to do to begin the extraction process? I want to get started on it right away."

"Well, King Dad," Iggy walked over to a large computer and pushed up his glasses, typing onto a nearly gigantic keyboard. The machine beeped and whirred for a minute, and what appeared to be a highly sophisticated image of Luca's body showed up on the screen. "We'll need to convert her first, so that she is a Pure Essence once more… only we shall make her purity of evil rather than good. It's going to be challenging, but it can be done. We just have to bombard her heart with dark magic until she is swayed. But once she is to our side, then she should willingly hand over the Essence."

"But what if she refuses even after becoming evil?" Bowser questioned. "Look at her magical potential—she could realize that she is the most powerful evil being around and decide to make her own way."

"You doubt my looking at all the channels, King Dad?" Iggy smirked maniacally, holding out a syringe with a thick, red substance in it. "I had Ludwig whip this up for me a little while ago. It's a brainwashing serum which will give the first person she sees temporary—but complete—control over her until the effects wear off or she faints. However, this is where the risk of her demise comes in… this serum is rather unstable in humans, you see… but we can use her to perfect the serum on humans so maybe we can capture the 'heroes' and convert them as well."

"Excellent idea, my son," Bowser said with a laugh. "She's turned out to be quite useful to us in her capture, hasn't she?" He walked over to her and ran a claw along the side of Luca's face. "Yes, you have," he murmured as if speaking to a beloved pet.

"Don't think you're going to succeed with this," Luca spat angrily. "I'll never be swayed."

"We'll see just how strong your will is momentarily, girl." Bowser replied easily. "Iggy! Begin the bombardment process. Call me if there are any problems."

"Yes sir, King Dad." Iggy nodded and bowed at his father, who turned and left the room. Iggy stood upright once more and turned to his experimental guinea pig. "Now then…"

"So that's it, then," Luca growled, ever rebellious. "You're just going to use me as a test dummy and then throw my body away when you've managed to kill me…" Iggy seemed to flinch and hesitate, and she noticed. "…You don't _want_ to destroy me, do you?"

Iggy sighed heavily and looked quite dejected. "King Dad expects us kids to do his bidding at his every whim… and if we refuse, we are grounded by imprisonment in the dungeon. He actually threatened me with death if I did not do his wish. I'm not really the type who enjoys the suffering of others—even if they are meant to be my enemies. So I'm sorry for what I must do to you."

"You have a heart, then," she gently responded. "And a mind of your own."

"That could be my downfall, Luca." Iggy turned towards the machine again. "Now then, before I let you talk me into doing something stupid, I'm beginning the bombardment."

"Wait!" Luca cried. "Iggy, listen… what if… what if instead of the bombardment, I offer up the Chaos Essence? And in return, you find a way to spare my life."

Iggy winced. "I mustn't listen to you. What if you double-cross me?"

"My life is at stake here," she replied. "How could I double-cross you if I haven't got my powers and I'm chained down to a platform? Iggy, look at me." When he turned around, she looked him directly in his blue eyes. "Please, Iggy."

Iggy stepped back and closed his eyes. "I will see what I can do…"

Luca nodded her head.

Iggy reopened his eyes, looking wild and maniacal. "But first I must ensure that you are not to double-cross me…" He threw a lever. "Let the bombardment begin!"

Immediately a powerful beam of dark energy shot itself through the trapped young woman, who began to scream with agony and writhe against her restraints in futility. Iggy's laughter echoed over her cries.

* * *

><p>The three young men made it to the very top of Shooting Star Summit, a beautiful and mysterious mesa located just beyond Princess Peach's castle. Shooting stars rained down from the heavens in this place, giving the ground a very powerful and mystical energy that even those who were not magically-inclined could sense and respond to it. The three stood in the center of the large plateau, looking up towards the dark, starry sky above.<p>

"We wish to speak with Eldstar," Daniel announced to the sky above. "Please grant our wish and give us permission."

The sky suddenly turned bright around the three of them and hoisted them up off the ground and high into the sky. The ground slowly became smaller and smaller until it was nearly out of sight—Phil felt like he could reach out and touch the stars. They landed on a cloud.

_Eldstar and the other Star Spirits wish to speak with you_, a voice echoed as if from nowhere and everywhere. _Please make haste to the Star Sanctuary_.

"Awesome," Daniel said with an enthusiastic pump of his fist. "We're in."

"Let's hurry," Jim added.

"Please," Phil nodded, beginning to walk on ahead. _Before it's too late_…

The city in which the Stars resided was a beautiful and bustling skyward town in which the only inhabitants were, in fact, the stars themselves. Star Kids played and chased one another until they saw the three humans. It was so rare to have human visitors that the Star Kids took to hiding immediately—a few braver children curiously hovered at arm's length from the three males and twinkled timidly at them.

"It's okay," Daniel tried to reassure them. "We're the heroes from the world below. We're not here to cause you any harm."

The Star Kids began to giggle and fly closer to the boys now, occasionally brushing an arm, leg, or hair. The three continued on until they reached a large, magnificent structure to the very east of the town. This was Star Sanctuary, home to the seven Star Spirits. As they entered the building, Phil felt a strange pain in his heart that caused him to grasp his chest and cough a few times. He shook it off as stress and followed the brothers.

"Greetings," Eldstar announced as he flew down off his altar. "Welcome to Star Sanctuary. I wish we were meeting on more enjoyable times, but there is a terrible crisis afoot."

The three humans nodded.

"As it appears, the Chaos Essence has fallen into Bowser's possession," Eldstar began. "This is very dangerous, as the Chaos Essence is in Unpure hands and could be manipulated towards the side of evil. Even as we speak, Bowser is doing all he can to persuade Lucafira towards darkness and towards surrendering the Chaos Essence."

"What if she doesn't surrender?" Phil blurted out, temporarily forgetting all signs of respect in the presence of such revered royalty. He blushed. "I… I'm sorry…"

"Quite alright," Eldstar said with a small smile. But his expression returned to its grave appearance. "If she doesn't surrender the Essence, it is likely that Bowser will find a way to suppress her life force until he gets what he wants. Lucafira must be alive until the Chaos Essence is removed from her body… after that, all bets are off."

"What happens if the Chaos Essence _does_ get to Bowser's possession?" Daniel asked. "What happens to the world then?"

"The Chaos Essence is a tricky Essence to understand, boys," Eldstar warned. "It can be swayed to be good or evil, depending on the heart of the person that contains it. However, its purity was marred by Lucafira's Unpure heart, and therefore there was always this chance that evil could get its hands on it… Dark Land and all evil forces have sought the Chaos Essence for many eons… ever since time began, as a matter of fact.

"If a good-hearted person wields the Chaos Essence, then the world remains in balance and no matter how much evil may try, it will never succeed in its attempts at world domination… However, if a dark-heart person holds the Essence, the world and all its inhabitants become unsteady and volatile. There's no telling what could happen to the world if Bowser gains control of the Essence—Chaos will be his whim to control."

Phil suddenly began to feel his body growing weak and a strange, malevolent force was brewing in his heart… what was happening? He fell to his knees.

"Phil, are you alright?" Jim asked, immediately rushing to his friend's side.

"I don't… feel right…" Phil stuttered. "I feel… tired… weak… but evil…" He looked into his friend's eyes. "Is this… what is happening… to Luca?"

"I'm afraid so," Eldstar said dismally. "Your Twin Bond keeps you connected to her so long as she is alive… and allows you to feel everything she is feeling. It also informs you of where is located—"

"Wait a minute," Daniel interrupted. "My apologies, Eldstar, but Phil here can track Luca down to where she is being held?"

"Indeed, young Daniel. My suggestion to you is to make haste to where she is being held captive and rescue her before Bowser's plans to obtain the Essence are fulfilled. If you do not make it in time, the whole world may suffer…"

"How do I… make this pain… go away?" Phil coughed.

"You must learn to harness control of the Twin Bond and its power," Eldstar explained. "Only then will you be able to control how much of what she is feeling channels through to you." He flew back up to his podium. "Hurry now, boys. The fate of the world is in your hands…"


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Iggy stared long and hard at the girl, who had simply had enough of the bombardment and passed out. He looked at the syringe in his hand, and then back at her. Was he really going to do this, knowing the chances of her survival? He really didn't want to kill her… but he had to do what his father instructed him to do first. He flinched slightly and injected the girl with the fluids, then began waiting for her to wake up.

"I can't… I can't just… take another person's life…" Iggy said to himself, almost tearfully. He reached for his wand and a pair of scissors. He took the scissors and cut the ribbon out of the girl's ponytail. Her blood-red hair fell like waterfall, long and beautiful. He looked at her unconscious face, seeming so pale and innocent. He ran a claw along the curvature of her cheek and down her neck. "I'll save you as best I can," he murmured her.

Thirty minutes would pass before her lifeless body began to stir once again. As her vision came into focus, she met his eyes, staring at her with a sad curiosity on his face. "I see you're awake now," he said after a moment.

"Who are you?" She asked in a weak, drowsy voice. "Who am I?"

"My name is Iggy Koopa, and I am your master," he explained. "Please, sit up."

She sat up. When she glanced in the mirror, her hair was down, shoulder-length, and a deep bluish black. She tilted her head at herself and blinked. "Is that… me? Who am I, master?"

He blinked back tears of remorse. "I will tell you after you do a favor for me."

"Yes, master? What is it?"

He approached her with his arm outstretched. "You have an Essence in your heart, called Chaos. Please give it to me. Give it to me and I will tell you who you are."

"As you wish, my master," she replied in a robotic, monotone voice. She looked up at the ceiling and closed her eyes. Her energy began emitting from her in sharp, immense waves of chaotic strength that went from massively intense to timidly weak.

"Good girl," Iggy said through a wavering voice. "Hand over your Essence to me…"

All the sudden, a bright burst of light erupted from her chest, and a reddish-black object hovered over her—the Essence of Chaos took the form of a spiraling orb. She looked up at it and gently grabbed hold of it, handing it over to Iggy. When he looked in her eyes, he saw no life or soul. "Is this what you wanted, master?"

"Yes," Iggy replied. "It is. Thank you."

"Who am I?" She asked again.

He was busy admiring the Essence in his hand—for a moment, he had one of the strongest and wildest Essence under his control. Oh, the things he could accomplish with this kind of power! He looked to the girl again, who was gently touching her reflection in the mirror.

_No,_ he said to himself. _I can't let myself be swayed by power like my father. I must hold up my end of the promise to this girl_.

"Quickly now," he suddenly said to her, handing her a vial of some bluish concoction, several Mushrooms, and a blue ring. "I am going to lead you to safety. You are in danger if you stay here."

"But master…"

"No," he shook his head. "When I tell you to, I want you to drink that blue potion there. From there, we shall part ways, and you shall never see me again."

"Please tell me who I am before we separate," she said with a shivering voice.

"Your name…" He paused for a moment, and then smiled. "Your name is Bliss."

* * *

><p>"We're almost at the border between the Mushroom Kingdom and Dark Land," Daniel announced to the group. "Phil, what's going on with Luca?"<p>

He was standing up straight once again and didn't have a greenish look upon his face. "Give me a moment," he said simply, pausing to inwardly meditate and focus on the Twin Bond. After a full minute, Daniel grew impatient.

"Well?" The younger boy asked.

Phil's eyes flew open. "I don't feel her. At all. There's nothing there. I've tried communicating with her but my voice just echoes in my own ears…" He grasped his stomach, feeling extremely nauseous once more. "Something's gone horribly wrong…"

"We'd better hurry to Bowser's Keep then," Jim said, beginning to walk forward. Suddenly the ground beneath the three began rumbling. "Stars above!" He cried. "What's going on!"

A loud, ominous laugh echoed from the sky. "Beware, mortals! This is _my_ world now!" More laughter, and then an eerie silence. Phil looked up at the sky, which was churning violently and a strange reddish-black haze. It reminded him of his days back home when the sky changing colors meant danger was approaching… He wanted to throw up. The grass beneath their feet suddenly began to wither and turn brown before their eyes. The wind began blowing so hot and hard that the trees were sideways—weaker trees were uprooted and flew through the air like they were toys.

"Chaos!" Daniel exclaimed. "Bowser's got Chaos! He's changing the world!"

"Let's get going!" Jim insisted.

Phil felt his world spinning out of control. What was he supposed to do? He always had Luca there to help him… but even through the Twin Bond, he could not sense her. Was she really…? Was he really alone without her? He grabbed his temples and whined with an impending headache.

"Stop it!" Daniel growled, pushing him forward. "Let's go before things get any worse!"

"How much worse can they get," Phil dismally asked aloud.

"How about _that_ much worse?" Daniel pointed towards the direction of Dark Land. A massive wave of what looked like reddish water was rapidly heading their way. Jim and Phil looked up at the tsunami of energy heading towards them with rising speed, beginning to step back in a panic. "That thing's going to kill us!"

"Is that Chaos' true form?" Phil asked. "That's… scary…"

Jim grabbed his brother and friend by an arm and began focusing his energy. The three slowly began to turn transparent as the wave steadily lurched towards them. "My strength's not enough… Phil, help me."

Phil grabbed the half of the Amethyst Medallion—a magical stone that he and Luca shared possession of that could capture and harness the power of souls—that was in his pocket and clutched it tightly. He closed his eyes and began channeling energy from himself into Jim. The ground beneath them began to rumble as the wave began to wash over Toad Town. The sky turned black and lightning erupted from the heavens.

But suddenly, Phil felt as if he needed to open his eyes.

* * *

><p>Everything was gone, and he was standing in a black void. Floating in front of him was a young woman wearing a flowing white outfit. He could halfway see through her form, her pale red hair flowing long and beautiful down the curvature of her back. Her eyes were closed and her hands were grasping at her chest where her heart would be.<p>

"Who are you?" He asked her. "Where am I? What's happened?"

"Keep faith alive, Phil…" the woman's wispy form hovered towards him. "Keep faith alive and everything will be okay once more…"

He walked towards her and outstretched an arm towards her, feeling a warm sense of familiarity to her that beckoned him to try and touch her. "Are you… is that… you?"

She gently touched the side of his face with a nearly transparent hand. He felt the delicate warmth touch his cheek and leaned his head into the caress, closing his eyes to fully absorb the sensation. He felt something flutter in his chest—was that his heart missing a beat? In the corners of his eyes, sorrowful tears began to well.

"You must be strong, dear," the woman said, her other hand coming to rest against the other side of his face. She cradled his head gently and he felt a breeze rush through his very core. "If you want the wish in your heart to come true, you must be strong and be willing to fight…"

He opened his eyes, by now the droplets in his eyes streaming down his face. He was confused—he felt a heavy, looming sadness in his soul, but a warm, comforting happiness in his chest. "I know it's you."

She opened her eyes. He gasped—her eyes were completely black. It caused him to look down and away in surprise and fear. This caused him to notice her chest area. Where her heart was meant to be, there was a gaping black hole there as well. "Don't be afraid of me, Phil. Please."

"What has… what has happened to you?" He cried gently, trying to rest his hand atop hers. His hand simply fazed through hers, and he was touching his own face. He looked down at his feet, afraid to look at her pale and emotionless face. "What have they done?"

"Chaos resided in my heart," she explained. "When they obtained it, they obtained my very life."

"You… you're…" He closed his eyes tight and felt weak in the legs. "No. No, please." He began to crumble to the ground, but felt something catch him. Through his tears, he saw her looking him square in the eye.

"It's time for you to be brave and strong," she chided in a gentle voice—she had caught him in her arms and gently lowered him to his knees. "I sense the wish in your heart—I sense you want the world to return back to the way it was. If you are unwilling to fight for what you believe in, all will be lost… including me."

"I can't do it alone, not without you…" He sobbed softly. "Please tell me this is a nightmare."

"Keep me alive in your heart, and I will be there with you. And you aren't alone. You have Jim and Daniel at your side to help you. Fight for what you believe in, Phil. Keep the faith alive." She began to levitate into the air, away from him.

"No…" He looked up at her, scrambling to his feet and reaching up for her. "No, please. Come back… don't leave me…"

"I have faith in you," she said gently, her voice beginning to echo through the void… echoing through his mind… "Have faith in me, and we will be whole soon…"

"Please!" He begged, tears streaming down his face in a downpour. "Come back to me! I need you!"

"I have left a gift for you… please make good use of it…"

* * *

><p>"Phil? Phil! Wake up!" A distorted voice echoed in his ears. His eyes opened and he found himself lying on the ground staring up at a reddish black sky. He moaned softly, confused and disoriented.<p>

"Wh… what happened?" He mumbled gently as his friends helped him into a sitting position. He clutched his head and felt the world spinning around him.

"The wave hit us," Jim explained, "and we lost sight of you. It simply bowled you over and washed you away…"

"We've spent the better part of half an hour looking for you," Daniel continued. "You seem to be okay, though… right?"

Phil nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine." He looked up and recognized where he was as his hilltop hideaway. Did Chaos' power really wash him that far away? He looked up at the sky, which boiled and churned with angry storm clouds. The air felt extremely hot and heavy, full of malevolence. He looked towards a nearby creek—the water was a strange brownish color and stagnant, barely moving at all.

"Where'd you get the pendant?" Daniel suddenly asked, kneeling down and pointing at his ally's chest.

"What pendant?" Phil questioned in confusion. He looked down at his chest—around his neck was a silver chain with an emerald stone on it. The stone was shaped like that of a green Koopa shell. He blinked in puzzlement and gently grasped the green stone. It felt strangely… warm. Almost comforting. "What's this?"

"We'll ask Jared when we get back to the house," Jim answered.

"If there's a house left," Daniel added dismally.

Phil stood up and looked out over the horizon. "So where are we now?"

"Abysmal view, isn't it?" Daniel asked.

The ground was darkened by the effects of Chaos, the grass withered, flowers wilted, shrubs browned. The nearby lake was filled with more of the same stagnant swamp water that filled the nearby creek. The sky flickered with heat lightning, and a strange reddish haze had enveloped the world. Houses nearby looked halfway dilapidated. In the distance, the Forest of Illusion looked as if someone had simply blown half the trees away. Phil felt sick to his stomach for a moment, but then started down the hill. "So this is it, then."

The brothers looked at each other in confusion at Phil's sudden change in attitude.

"This is our world now," Jim answered with a nod. "Welcome to it."

Phil clutched the item around his neck and closed his eyes for a moment, and then immediately began walking with a confident, strong gait. "Let's go see what's left of Star Town."

Daniel blinked. "Since when is _he_ calling the shots?" He asked in an arrogant, offended voice.

"Since now, apparently," Jim replied with a confused look on his face. "C'mon. Let's go see what's left of home."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The trio finally arrived in Star Town to see half of the houses completely wiped out—all that remained were the foundations. One of the neighbors, the patriarch of a Toad family, ran up to Phil and grabbed desperately at his shirt.

"Help us," he pleaded with the young protector-in-training. "Please! Save my wife and kids!"

Phil looked down at the man with sympathy. He saw the desperation and felt the man's panic… and he could completely relate. "We'll do all we can," he reassured the man.

"My kids have fallen terribly ill and my wife is slowly falling sick as well…" The man murmured, more to himself as he stumbled back to the remains of his house.

"We have to save these people," Daniel insisted.

"Look! The house is still standing!" Jim pointed to their large house, which had a gaping hole in the roof but was still structurally sound. The trio ran into the house and called out for the family.

Danielle suddenly emerged from the basement. "Boys! Thank the Stars you're all okay!" She ran to her sons and their friend and embraced each one of them separately. "We were so afraid that the transformation had…"

"Mama, hush," Daniel chided gently. "We're all fine. Where is everybody else?"

"In the basement," she explained. "Heather and I were preparing dinner when we felt the ground beginning to shake. We managed to get everyone into the basement just before the wave hit."

"Phil? Phil!" Aiden came from around the corner, rushing into his idol's arms. "I was scared, Phil!" The little boy sobbed.

Phil knelt down and hugged the child tightly, gently ruffling his hair. "I'm here," he reassured. "And I promise you, everything's going to be just fine."

A young man with dark brown hair came around the corner as well. "Aiden, no!" He scolded. "Mother hasn't called the all clear yet… oh! Jim! Daniel! Phil! You're all okay!" The young man pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose. "It appears as if things have turned for the worse, huh?"

Daniel nodded. "We were outside when the wave struck. We were trying to get to Dark Land to rescue Luca…"

"But we were too late," Jim finished with his head bowed towards the floor.

Phil said nothing; instead clutching Aiden tightly in his arms with his eyes squeezed shut.

"As it appears," Daniel began again, ever the leader, "Luca may have been lost… I'm not sure on that. Phil said he couldn't feel her life force through their Bond."

"She'll be back," Phil insisted in a quiet voice. He released his grip on the young boy and stood up once again, grasping the emerald pendant around his neck. He suddenly stood up much taller and his whole demeanor changed. "Something tells me she's in Limbo right now, and that if we manage to get Chaos back to her body, she'll be saved."

"Jared," Jim turned to the man in the glasses. "You see this behavior in Phil? When the wave struck, it washed him away from us and we spent a while trying to track him down. When we found him, he had that pendant… Daniel and I think that medallion has something to do with his newfound bravery…"

Jared walked over and examined the necklace at length for a full minute. "Well, of course it has something to do with it," he explained in a matter-of-fact voice. "That's a Courage Shell."

"A what?" The trio asked.

"A Courage Shell," Jared repeated. "Anyone who wears a Courage Shell pendant becomes quite bold in their endeavors… almost fearless, you might say. They become very brave and will remain in that state of courageousness until the pendant is broken or otherwise taken away." He looked at Phil. "Where did you get this? This is a very rare medallion…"

Phil looked at the glistening emerald stone in the palm of his hand. "I don't know," he answered. "I… had a vision. Of Luca. And she told me before I woke up that she had left me a gift…"

"Perhaps, then, she granted you the pendant's use from Limbo." Jared theorized.

"I can't let her down, Jared," Phil explained in a wavering but sturdy voice. "I… I love her. Without her, there is no reason for me to go on. I _will_ bring her back from Limbo… I will…"

"And you aren't going to do it alone," Jim reassured his friend with a gentle pat on the back. "I'm gonna be right there with you the whole time."

"As will I," Jared added, "despite my weakness as a fighter, I can do all the research you will ever need."

Daniel shrugged. "And, I guess, you can count on me too. Even though I don't like Luca all that much, I know she means a lot to you. We'll rescue her. Count on it."

"How do you expect to even begin your quest when the three of you are officially outlaws of the Chaos Empire?" Another male voice came from around the corner. This voice was that of a teenage male, sounding monotone and emotionless.

"What do you mean we're outlaws?" Daniel questioned. "Chaos Empire? What?"

A teenager came from around the corner. He had somewhat long, straight jet black hair covering the majority of his rather pale face. When he moved some of the hair out of his face, he revealed a pair of beautiful—but rather devoid—dark jade eyes. "I've been listening on the radio," he explained. "And Bowser is already got a bounty on your heads."

"Jayson…" Danielle scolded gently, her eyes pointing at Aiden. It was her way of telling him to censor himself in front of the child.

Jayson shrugged. "He's also searching for you, Mom. And your parents. And your uncle. He's offering a massive reward for anyone who will bring the lot of you in—dead or alive." He paused for a moment. "Preferably dead."

"Jayson! Enough." Danielle raised her voice slightly, hugging her youngest son as he ran into her arms.

"Then we'll go into hiding," Daniel said in an easy voice. Almost too easy of a voice. "Jared. Use your power over colors to change our appearances. We'll come up with aliases for ourselves, and hopefully be able to wander about the… er, Chaos Empire… without fear that an angry mob is going to rip our heads off."

Jared thought about this for a moment and then nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. Follow me."

The three heroes followed Jared into his bedroom—a large room with each wall transformed into bookshelves. The floor was scattered with papers, notebooks, and the occasional invention. Jared was the resident genius of the household, and his bedroom was affectionately known as The Library. "Here it is," he said to himself. He picked up a medallion from off a nightstand table. The medallion was a clear sphere with every color of the rainbow swirling within it. He put it around his neck. "Who's first?"

Daniel stepped forward. "Let's get this over with. Give me black hair, brown eyes. I'll call myself Shane." Shane was his birth-given name—a name he normally despised with a passion, but now it was being put to good use.

Jared nodded. "Colors of black and brown," he summoned. He pointed at his cousin's hair, which turned from its dirty blonde hue into a dark black color. Next Jared pointed at his cousin's face. His emerald eyes slowly morphed into a gentle chocolate brown.

Daniel eyed himself in the mirror and winced. "I guess this'll take some getting used to."

Jim sighed. "Let's get this over with…" He stepped towards his cousin. "I want dark blonde hair and hazel eyes. My name will be Evan." Evan was his middle name.

"Powers of yellow, green, and brown," Jared beckoned. His cousin slowly transformed from a redheaded, brown-eyed teen to a blonde with dark hazel eyes. "Phil? You're up."

"Brown and silver," he said in a strangely distant voice.

"But silver eyes will make you quite noticeable," Jared warned.

"Do it anyway."

"If you insist," Jared shrugged. "What will you call your alias?"

"Fearless."

* * *

><p>"That's right," the radio happily chirped. "You, too, can visit the magnificent Chaos Castle, located in the middle of beautiful Empire City! All you have to do is enter the Chaos Racing Tournament, located in Empire City's local racing facility! Bring your kart and your game, and you too may have a chance to meet the extraordinary King Bowser, master of the Chaos Empire!"<p>

Jayson scoffed. "Pathetic. Not even three hours into his reign and he's already advertising events. What's next?"

"Wait a minute," Daniel said. "A racing tourney? That sounds… interesting. I think Phil and Jim should enter."

"Why me?" Phil asked.

"Because I've seen your skill as a driver," Daniel explained. "You're on top of it when you're driving. I'd enter the tourney myself, but I can barely drive. But you and Jim are pretty good at it. Besides, we need to get into Bowser's domain as soon as we possibly can so we can try to find out something about what his next step will be."

Phil nodded. "I'll do it."

"Me too," Jim agreed. "Let's get down to Toad Town—er, Empire City, and sign up for this thing."

* * *

><p>The racetrack had been completely remodeled from what they remembered it to be before the world was transformed into the Chaos Empire. The track now looked rickety and had more jumps—it barely looked like a racetrack but more like a dilapidated highway. But the two had already signed up for the contest. They had registered their vehicles—Jim chose the Red Fire, a kart that used to belong to his adopted grandfather, Mario. Phil chose a custom kart which he christened Vengeance. They were surprised at the sheer amount of people who had signed up for the tournament—there were at least thirty racers out there.<p>

They all lined up at the starting line. Phil took a quick look from his position in tenth place. Jim was back in twenty-second. He looked up towards the front of the pack—and someone caught his eye. There was a young female on a silver motorbike. Her hair was black and pulled back into a short ponytail. She sat on the bike like a pro, revving the engine impatiently. _Is that a girl_, he thought to himself. _She may be the only female out here. I hope she knows what she's getting into_.

The lights began to flash, signaling the racers to ready themselves. Engines began revving loudly around him, and he had to scratch at his arm, feeling the addictive twitch rising in him. He couldn't help but smile a little.

Red light. He gripped the steering wheel hard.

Yellow light. His foot came off the brake and the kart began rolling forward.

Green light—he stomped the accelerator and the kart exploded off the starting line with a turbo boost. He immediately rocketed up into first place, and he refused to look back. He felt the track shaking beneath him and for a moment he worried that it may not be able to hold the weight of all the racers. He was coming up on the first turn, which had an optional jump. He decided to skip the jump and instead skid through the turn. A shadow appeared over him, and he looked up.

The black-haired girl did a flip just above him and landed in front of him, speeding off through the turn. "She's good," he said aloud to himself. "But I've gotta be better."

He raced through an item block, receiving a green shell. He wished he'd had Luca racing with him, as she was a more accurate thrower than he. He lined up his shot as best he could and hurled the shell towards the mysterious woman but at the last second she tossed a banana peel down and effectively blocked his shot. "Damnit!" He cursed. Jim suddenly passed him and slid through the next turn. The girl shot through an item block and hurled a shell backwards, crashing it into Jim and spinning him out. This girl was playing for keeps, whoever she was.

Phil received a Mushroom and he immediately sent it into the engine. The kart lurched forwards and he took a jump. He pulled a trick and gripped the wheel tight as he landed, skidding hard through a tight turn with a turbo boost. He caught up to the girl and bumped her rear tire with the front end of his kart. She looked over her shoulders at him—and he was caught off-guard. Her eyes were a familiar shade of green, and bore a strange familiarity to him that made his heart jump up in his throat. She glared at him hard and viciously turned to the left, trying to get through the next turn.

"Sorry," he said to her, "but I gotta win this." He bumped her tire again and caused her bike to lurch slightly beneath her. She began swerving back and forth to avoid further rams from Vengeance. They came to a fork in the road—either pull a trick or continue on a straightaway. She immediately headed for the jump. He followed without hesitating.

It was Death's Leap.

The track beneath them began creaking loudly as they began accelerating up, up towards the speed panel and the leap. Phil began to panic slightly and grasped at the Courage Shell around his neck. Feeling his bravery revived, he prepared for the jump that had so long eluded him.

But she was already in the air. She flipped once, twice, thrice, and landed on the track below. She sped off with blinding speed as he finished his own trick and landed, and she crossed the finish line three full seconds before he did. He scowled with his second place finish and felt discouraged—they needed that victory to get into Bowser's hideout! And worse yet, he'd been beaten by a girl. He waited for Jim, who came in eighth place.

"Who was that girl?" Jim asked.

"I don't know," Phil said, staring at her. "But she seems… like I know her." He walked over to her. "Congratulations," he offered up.

"You're that guy who tried to run me off the road," she spoke in a strangely monotone—yet very familiar—voice.

"Yes. Sorry," he apologized. "I just really wanted to win that trip."

"So did I."

"Why?"

She turned to walk away from him. "None of your business, stranger."

"And the winner of the trip to Chaos Castle is… Bliss!" A booming voice declared over the track. "Congratulations, Bliss! You have won a trip to Chaos Castle!"

"Her name is Bliss, then," Jim said.

"We should follow her to Chaos Castle," Phil suddenly spoke.

"Why?"

"If we do that, then we'll be there at Bowser's hideout too. And that was the plan all along, no?"

"Very smart," Jim smiled. "Let's go get Daniel and Jared."


End file.
